EGYPT: A SIX-STOREY BUILDING IN CAIRO HAS COLLAPSED SUDDENLY

Record ID: 216707

  • Title: EGYPT: A SIX-STOREY BUILDING IN CAIRO HAS COLLAPSED SUDDENLY
  • Date: 3rd May 2003
  • Summary: (W8) CAIRO, EGYPT (MAY 3, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EMERGENCY WORKERS AT THE SCENE / PAN TO CROWD GATHERED 0.15 2. TILT FROM TOP OF BUILDING TO WORKERS ON THE GROUND 0.27 3. SV EMERGENCY WORKERS SEARCHING SITE 0.35 4. SLV CREWS GATHERED AROUND ONE WORKER 0.45 5. TILT FROM TOP OF BUILDING TO EMERGENCY CREWS WORKING BELOW 0.57
  • Embargoed: 18th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA9B4U7MMM63E11COMI6FASCJP3
  • Story Text: A six-storey building in Cairo has collapsed suddenly,
    surprising residents who rushed outside to survive.



    The first and second storey of the building that
    collapsed on Saturday (May 3) buckled under the pressure and
    killed everyone under the bottom ceilings.

    The fifth and sixth floors of the building were mostly
    destroyed in the collapse.

    One man who lives across the street from the building said
    he went to see what happened after hearing what sounded like a
    loud explosion.

    "We found that the building has collapsed and pressed
    down. The first floor and the second floor have collapsed
    together and the fifth and sixth floor, the roof, has fallen
    down and was pressured all over each other. The building has
    three apartments that are empty," said Nasser Abdel Fahtah
    Mohamed Alaam.

    There has been no news yet about the number of dead or
    survivors who may have lived through the mass of mud and
    bricks that fell on them.

    But one resident said as many as 12 families could be
    trapped inside.

    "I was working when my son called me on the phone and told
    me 'dad come quickly the house have collapsed.' I live in the
    fourth floor. We suddenly have seen this house collapse down
    over each other and the reason is this project. The project is
    the reason; it is a project for sewage. I will complain to the
    officials and to anyone if we don't get back our rights in
    this house. This house has six floors and each floor has two
    apartments. This means twelve families maybe there. Two or
    three apartments are not available, but the rest are filled,"
    said Abo El ella Abbas.

    Emergency crews were working through the night to search
    for survivors.


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